It takes a village to create a film: WaterAid’s pioneering approach puts communities in control
Download photosVideo: WaterAid film featuring the Matamoando ChoirA rural community in Malawi has been central to the development of WaterAid’s new campaign film launching this week, which was made in line with the charity’s pioneering approach to foster a collaborative approach to storytelling.
WaterAid worked with Kenyan production company Ginger Ink, and together they established a rapport with the community over several months, hearing people’s stories off-camera then co-developing the script and the storyboard, ensuring the accuracy of the content while upholding the dignity of those involved.
The film for the ‘Where there’s water’ appeal highlights the ripple effect of clean water and the harmony of the choir, which consists mostly of children who are not only raising their voices, but also money for the community.
However, less than half the children in the area have water at home and are unable to join the popular choir as they have to collect water, which isn’t even clean, for their families. Through the ‘Where there’s water’ appeal, WaterAid will work alongside this community and many more, to help families get clean water so more children will have the time to learn, play and sing.
As a member of the choir, Merifa used to spend hours every day collecting water from another village miles away. With clean water close to home, she can now wash regularly, attend school and sing with her beloved choir, and has also established a business with her sister, making samosas to sell.
Merifa, 15, said:
“Because we know that the water is near our home, we can go draw water and still have enough time to make our samosas and also go for choir practice. We go to choir practice three days a week. We really love it and we learn a lot.”
Merifa’s best friend Rachel lives in a neighbouring village and goes to the same school, where the two are inseparable. However, she is unable to attend the choir with her friend because her time is spent collecting dirty water for her family.
Choirmaster Rodrick, who also lacks water at home, said:
“When you are singing, you need water; when you are sick, you need water. Water is very important.”
Keen to represent everyone in the film in a respectful and mindful way, David Jobanputra, WaterAid’s Film Producer, said:
“As an anthropologist, having the opportunity to make our winter campaign film in such a symbiotic way was inspirational. Our film reflects a real collaborative process with the community, and by harmoniously working together, we’ve created on a film that is accurate and engaging.
“The choir's dream is for their music to be heard far and wide, so that people everywhere can see the beauty and joy that comes from having clean water.”
One in ten people globally do not have clean water close to home. As a result, families, usually women and girls, spend hours a day collecting water. Without clean water, diseases like cholera and typhoid can be fatal – but with clean water comes potential for communities to thrive. Where there’s water, there’s health, joy, childhood, and possibility.
To help turn on the taps in Chinganji and in communities around the world, support ‘Where there’s water’ at wateraid.org.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Martin – Senior Media Officer [email protected].
Or call our after-hours press line on +44 (0)7887 521 552, or email [email protected].
Notes to Editors:
Download photos: https://wateraid.assetbank-server.com/assetbank-wateraid/images/assetbox/af9e3df1-6cd7-4fcc-a5d9-0b32800d6f42/assetbox.html
Video: WaterAid film featuring the Matamando Choir: https://vimeo.com/1018664109/36418caf37
About WaterAid
WaterAid is an international not-for-profit determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. We work alongside communities in 22 countries to secure these three essentials that transform people’s lives. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 28 million people with clean water and nearly 29 million people with decent toilets.
For more information, visit our website wateraid.org/uk; follow us on Twitter @WaterAidUK, @WaterAid or @WaterAidPress; or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.
- 703 million people in the world – almost one in ten – don’t have clean water close to home.
- 2.2 billion people in the world – more than one in four – don’t have safe water.
- Almost 2 billion people in the world – one in four – lack soap and/or water to wash their hands at home, if they have a place at all.
- 1.5 billion people in the world – almost one in five – don’t have a decent toilet of their own.
- 570 million people in the world – 1 in 14 – have a decent toilet but have to share it with people outside their family. This compromises the privacy, dignity and safety of women and girls.1
- Almost 400,000 children under five die every year due to diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene. That's more than 1000 children a day, or almost one child every one and a half minutes.2
- Investing in safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services provides up to 21 times more value than it costs.3
1: WHO/UNICEF (2023), Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2022: special focus on gender (accessed 11 Jul 2023)
2: WHO (2023), Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: 2019 update (accessed 24 Jul 2023)
3: WaterAid (2021), Mission-critical: Invest in water, sanitation and hygiene for a healthy and green economic recovery (accessed 1 Nov 2023).
